Non-oxidizing annealing-furnace and mechanism for handling work therein



E. vv. SEAHDSLEY. NQNox|mzmG ANNEAUNG FumAcE AND MECHANSM roe HANDUNG woaK mmm.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l1, 19:0. 1,362,555 n A t Patented Dec. 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR E, h/.H-/sa fr y l er f Mem? E. W. BEARDSLEY.

NON-0XIDIZING ANNEALING FURNACE AND MECHANlSM FOR HANDLING WORK THEREIN. APPLICATION FILED JUNE f7. m2o.

l. Patented Dec. 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ wml-ron EDWIN w. snAnnsLnY, or ennemies, CONNECTICUT, AssrGNon To THE AMERICAN STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

' :BRASS COMPANY, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A vCORPOlR/"A'ION OF CON Henrietta'.

NoN-criticisms ANNnALNG-FURNACE AND MECHANISM Fon HANDLING WORK aannam.

l Application filed June 17',

To all whom it muy concern.'

Beit known that I, EDWIN W. BiaAnnsLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cheshire, county of New-Haven, State of Connecticut, have .invented a certain new and useful improvement in Non-xidizing annealing-Furnaces and Mechanism for Handling .lVork Therein, of which the followingr isa full, clear, and exact description.

. My invention relates to a new and irnpioved non-oxidizing' annealing furnace and mechanism for handling work therein for introducing material to be annealed into the furnace or removing` it therefrom after it has been annealed or for both introducing and removing` it ,and has for its object the maintenance of the work in a horizontalpo sition during the time when it is being,r introduced or removed through liquid or gras g Fig; i;

sealed ends ofthe Afurnace'and the avoidance of injury to the work which is caused by some other means previously used for introduction or remov..` 'It further. has for its object improved means for introducing' sliows a section ofthe furnace on ings, 1 .is the heating chamber of a furnace constructed, of refractory materials 2, such as are commonly used. 3 is an oil or gas burner for supplying a combustible mixture to the heating .',chamber 'from which combustion gases pass out'of the heatingr chambei of the furnace through the flue 4. 5 isa retort or rhume, which may be' used, the

' saine being; made o f metal orof refractory material and extending through the. heatingchainber or the furnace. 6 and 7 are cond tinuations or eil'teneion.cg f the retort. 'f They have mouthpieces 8 ant/lh? A:l-sepending below the top surface' of water l@ inks 11 and 12.1espect1yely, whicliwater ae a as seal speci'ficanonpf Lettersratent. patented DPC 14 i920 Serial No. 389,553.

and prevents air from entering the retort through these openings.- A steam supply pipelfi with a valve 14 provides for the aditnission of steam for displacing the air in the retort 5, outlets 15, 16 for which are connected to the interior of the retort at one of their ends and'sealed at the other ends by the water 10.` 17 is a plunger actuated by :i hydraulic cylinder 18 or other suitable means for advancing the Work into and through .the retort from a charging table at one end and on to a receiving table at the other end.

1.9-1!) are movable tables upon which boxes 2() or 'other objects are carried through the mouthpieces of the retort and the seals therefor when being;` introduced into the retort or removed 'itliei'efroni Each table 19 'is supported by a pair of arms 21-21, which arc of equal length and securelyattached to theshaft122so as to lie in the saine plane. rlliis shaft 22y extends through -the tanks 11-12 so that as the shaft is oscillated the tables swing within the tanks.' This shaft carries a gear 23, secured thereto, which rear is engaged by a rack 24 actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 25 or other suitable means so as to be oscillated thereby. This rack is 'proi-ided with adjusting screws 26 whereby its movement n either direction .canvbe positively limited so that the upward movements ot' the tables can be positively stopped at the desired points.

Iii order to keep the tables 19 in a hori-.

zoiital .position during their movements, I

employ links 27 pivotally connectedto the tables and to fxed stationary abutmeiitsy 28 soas to be parallel to the arms 21, the

lengths of links being equalto the lengths of the arms 21. vI preferablyy connect the arms21 and the links 27 by links 30, whose` ilengths arel equal. to the distance between the axes ofthe shaft 22 and the abutments 28, said links being parallel to the plane passing through the shaft 22 and the abutments 28. The links 30 work on studs 31 on the arms 21, and studs 32 on the links 27. The arms 2l work on studs 33 on the table.

' work upon studs 34 upon the table.

Links 27.

yFrom the foregoing it will be seen that the center distances from the shaft 22 to the studs 31 and 33 are equal to the center die tances from the stud or abutment 28 Vto the studs 32 and 34, and that the center distances between the shaft 22 and the Stud or abutment 28 is equal to the center' distances be tween the studs 31 and 32 and between the `studs 33 and 34. The distances/between axial centers determine theglengths of theseveral arms and links. The centers of the shaft 22 and the studs 33-33 are. in the same radial plane and the centers of the studs 28-28 and studs 34e- 34 are also in tion, in which the arms 2l and links 27 are.

inthe same vertical plane.

ln operating this furnace withmy appar'atus the shaft 22 1s turned by means of the cylinder 25, rack 24 and gear 23' .to f: bring),r 'the tables i9 to the upper positioy indicated by dotted lines in Fig'. 2. whereas box 2()` of work to be annealed is placedy upon the chargingr table. The shaft 22 is then, by means ot' the rack 24 and cylinder 25,'revolved in a clockwise direction that carries the table .through path which describes a portion of a circle, enterin.r the water in thc tank and passing under.the shaft 22 to the other side 'of thevvertical plane passingr through that shaft .andthen above the lower edge of the mouth 'of the" retort extension, whence it passes out of the waterand into the position indicated in vfull lines in Fig. 2, in alinementvwith the bottom of the retort. The plunger 17 is then operated and the box 20 on the chargingr table is thcreby pushed oil its table onto the floor o't' the inutile. ln doing' this the boxes which had been previously placed in the retort are pushed ahead the length of one box, thus merino; one box from the. floor ot' the retort to the receiving' 'table 19 at the opposite end ot the retort.

A reversal ot the movement oi the shatt- 22, by means of the rack 24. carries the bo'x just pushed oft 'from the bottom of the retort through the water inthe tank l2. raising' it finally to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. where it is removed before the repetition o't the cycle above described.

By the means described a box or other object is introduced into the receiving' end of the retort by a swinging? movement through av liquid seal, the supportingr table being maintained horizontal at all, times. By a similar means a box is removedfrom the discharge end of the retort in a similar mannen and the introduction of one box into the body of the retort results in the removal of a similar article from the body of lthe retort` to the receiving; table.

IAs will be obvious, the two introducing and removing mechanisms need not be operated from the sanie shaft, nor bear the particular relations described to the longitudinal axis of the retort as are .herein shown and described, and, further, the use of water in tanks may be omitted or the water may be displaced by any other suitable medium.v lllurther, it is obvious that some of the advantages of my invention may be attained by the use of one of the two similar box handling' mechanisms, the otherbein ,f; replaced by some other mechanism` or omitted entirely Where a furnace has but a single mouthpiece used for the removal as Well as the introduction of the object to be treated. lt is further unnecessarythat the non-oxidizingr atmosphere be maintained by means of a retort, other means for maintaininnr such non-oxidizing atmosphere being known in furnaces adapted to `be provided with depending' mouthpieces closed by fluid seals. ln order that there be no interference the larms 21 are located on' the same side ot either of the links 27 and when two links are used the planes of the arms 21 are between the planes of the links 27. The links 30 are in a plane lying between 'its link 27 and adjacent arm 21.

As will be evident tothose skilled in the art my inventionpermits ,of various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat l claim is:

l. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a horizontal table, an oscillatingv shaft, two equal arms in the same radialfplane mounted upon saidv shaft and pivotally connected to said table.,1 a connecting' link of the same length as said arms and pi" ;tcd to said table and to a stationary abutment below said shaft so as to 'lie in a plane parallel to said radial plane,

said arms moving' in transverse planes lying on the saine side'of said link, and means for 'turning' said shaft about its axis so as to move said arms and said table beneath said shaft.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a horizontal tai ble*` an oscillating shaft, two equal arms in the same radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally connected to said table. a connecting' link of the same length as said 'arms and pivoted to said table and to a stationary abutment below 'said shaft and in the vertical plane passing` through said shaft so as to lie in a 'plane parallel to said radial plane, said armsmoving in transverse planes lying' on the same side of said link. and means for turning said shaft about its axis so as to'move said arms and said table be neath said shaft.

3., ln an apparatus ofthe character de scribed, the combination. of a horizontal ta ble, an oscillating shaft, two equal arms in the same radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally connected to said table,

` connecting links ofthe same length as said arms and pivoted to said table and to stationary abutments below said shaft so as to lie in a plane parallel to said radial plane, said arms moving in transverse plan'eslying between the planes of movement of said links, and means for turning said shaft about its axis so as to move said arr-ns and table beneath said shaft.

l. ln an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a horizontal table', an oscillating shaft, two equal arms in the same radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally connected to said table, connecting links of the same length as said arms and pivoted to said table and to stationary abutments below said shaft so as to lie in a plane parallel to said radial plane, said arms moving in transverse planes lying t between the planes of movement of said links, means for turning said shaft about its axis so as to move said arms and table beneath said shaft, and linking members pivotally connected to said arms and parallel links so as to be always parallel to the plane passing through' the axial centers of said links and arms at their corresponding ends.

5. ln an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a horizontal table, an oscillating shaft, two equal arms in u"the same radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally connected to said table, a connecting link of the same length as said arms and pivoted to said table and to a staf tionary abutment below said shaft so as to lie in a plane parallel to said radial plane, said arms moving in transverse planes lying on the same side of said link, means for turnf ing said shaft aboutv its axis so as to move said arms and said table beneath said shaft, and a furnace having a downwardly opening mouthpiece adapted v,to be sealed by a fluid seal and within which said table enters at the end of one of its upward movements.

ln an apparatus of the character de-n scribed, the combination of a horizontal tablc, an oscillating shaft, two equal 'arms in the same radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally connected to said table, a connecting link` of the same length as said arms and pivoted to said table and to astationary abutment below said shaft so as to lie in a plane 'parallel to said radial plane, said anmsmoving in transverse planes lying on their` side of said link, means for turning said shaft about its axis so as to move said arms and'said table beneath said shaft, a furnace having a downwardly opening mouthpiece adapted to ber sealed by a Huid seal and within which said table enters at the end' of one of its upward movements, and a tank surrounding said mouthpiece and shaft and within which said table swings, said tank being adapted to contain a fluid seal.

7. In an apparatus of the character described,the combination of a horizontal table, an oscillating shaft, two equal arms in the same-radial plane mounted upon said shaft and pivotally` connected to said table, a connecting link of the same length as said arms .lying in a plane parallel to said radial plane and pivoted to said table and to a stationary abutment below said shaft so as to `lie in a planeparallel to said radial plane, I

said arms moving in transverse planes lying on the same side of saidlin-k, meansfor turning said shaft about its axis solas to move said arms and said table beneath said shaft, a furnace having a downwardly opening mouthpiece Aadapted to be sealedby a fluid seal and within which said table enters at theend of one of its upward movements, a tank surrounding said mouthpiece and shaft and, within which sridtable swings, said tank being adapted contain a fluid seal, means for stopping said table when even with the floor of said furnace, and a plunger adapted to be moved over the top of said table when it is even with the bottom of said furnace and transfer an object. from said ,table to the bottom of said furnace.

8. ln an apparatus of the character de'-" scribed, the combination of two horizontal tables, an oscillating shaft, two pairs of equal arms secured thereto so as to lie in the same radial plane, said arms being connected to said. tables respectively',A links pivotally connected to said tables and to fixed abutments (respectively, saidl links being equal inlength to said arms and 'lying in a plane parallel to said radial plane, said 'abutments heilig below said shafts,A a furnace al'inement so as to simultaneously-move an object from said table to the furnace floor and another object from they door to the other table, and means foroscillating said shaft. 1

EDWIN W. BEARDSLEY. 

